Filling carriers for shuttleless looms



March 1963 M. R. FLAMAND 3,081,797

FILLING CARRIERS FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS Filed April 28, 1961 A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3 081,797 FILLING CAREERS fiOR SHUTTLELESS LGGMS Maurice R. Flarnand, Lonsdale, Rl, assignor to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass, a corporation of Maine Filed Apr. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 196,245 Claims. (Cl. 139-122) This invention pertains to improvements in filling carriers for use in shuttleless looms, wherein one carrier is adapted to insert a loop of filling part way through a shed to a point where a companion carrier receives that loop of filling and extends it through the remainder of the shed to complete the picking cycle.

It is a general object of the invention to improve materially those portions of the carriers through and across which the filling is extended while being placed within the warp shed.

It is a more specific object to provide wear resistant insert members in the throat portions of the filling receiving notches of these carriers that will serve as surfaces across which the filling is drawn and will offer more resistance to certain types of filling that are responsible for the excessive wear experienced in carriers of the prior art.

Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

In so-called shuttleiess looms, that is, in those looms wherein filling yarn is supplied from an outside source and is not carried back and forth through the shed by a shuttle or carrier its-elf, it is common practice to insert each pick of filling by two reciprocating elements, one of which will hereinafter be referred to as an inserter or inserting member and the other of which receives or has transferred to it that loop of filling yarn projected into the shed by the first member and which will hereinafter be referred to as a filling receiving or filling extending carrier. These filling carriers are normally provided with filling receiving notches through and across which the filling yarn is allowed to pass during the steps of inserting the filling at one side of the shed and extending the same to the opposite side. The inserting member includes upper and lower filling receiving notches into which the filling is received and guided as this member projects into the shed to meet and transfer a predetermined length of filling into the receiving notch of the extending carrier where it is then guided and extended to the selvage. These carriers are caused to function in a manner well known to those conversant with this art, and it is considered suificient at this point merely to call atention to certain patents which are illustrative of the type of loom concerned. Reference is hereby made to the information disclosed in patents numbered 2,586,638; 2,604,123; 2,705,508 and 2,928,427.

Carriers of the prior art have in many instances had their life expectancy reduced considerably as a result of excessive wear to that portion of the carrier that receives and guides the filling as it is being inserted and extended. Certain types of filling yarns such as those of high twist and a few synthetics have been found to be very abrasive and to the extent of wearing deep grooves in the aforementioned portions of the carrier which render them unsatisfactory for production purposes in a very short period of time.

According to the novel carriers of the instant invention, this undesirable condition can now be corrected through use of wear resistant inserts positioned within the throat portions of the filling receiving notches of these carriers. In the case of the inserting carrier, the wear resistant members are positioned both in the upper and lower notches and are angularly disposed so as to centrally guide the filling over and across the wear members during insertion of the loop of filling. The extending carrier is provided with a wear resistant member in the throat portion of the 'ice filling receiving notch which is positioned on the forward inclined surface of the carrier. When this carrier receives the inserted loop of filling and reverses its direction of travel, the filling is also caused to move over and across 5 this wear resistant member.

' The invention will be described hereinafter in greater detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the filling extending carrier to which the present invention is applicable, showing a cutaway portion of the trapping and tensioning member;

FIG. 2 is aplan view of the forward portion of the carrier illustrating the manner of inserting the wear resistant wear plate;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the carrier tipped slightly rearwardly;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the forward portion of the filling inserting carrier showing the wear resistant inserts assembled in both the upper and lower throat portions of the filling receiving notches;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Now referring to the figures of drawing, the filling carriers to which the present invention is applicable are formed as functionally integral members at the free end of flexible carriers or tapes 19 (one only shown in MG. 1). These tapes are utilized to reciprocate the thread carrying members themselves which are caused to enter the shed formed by warp threads and to be withdrawn therefrom.

Attached by some suitable means to the tape 10 is the extending carrier generally indicated by the numeral 11. Carrier 11 is formed substantially the same as the extending carrier disclosed in co-pending application Serial No. 14,336, filed March 11, 1060, now US. Patent No. 3,034,- 539. It includes a vertical side plate 12 extending sub stantially along the entire length of the carrier and at its forward end, plate 12 tapers gradually upward terminating in the form of a point 13. Plate 12 is supplemented at its forward end by a flat, laterally extending top surface 14 whereby the two surfaces form somewhat of an L-shaped section. The top surface 14 has extending therefrom an inclined forward surface 15 from which a lower surface 16 extends rearwardly to the vertical plate 12. A filling receiving notch 17 is formed below the top surface 14 and as part of the lower surface 16. These surfaces all blend with a curved leading inclined surface 18 and point 13 forming a filling engaging tip.

The inclined forward surface 15 is provided with a recess 19 which is centrally located and extends lengthwise along this surface from the curved leading inclined surface 18 rearwardly to where the lower surface 16 terminates in the form of a filling engaging hook 20. Recess 19 is adapted to receive therein a wear resistant plate member 21 which forms the throat portion of the filling receiving notch 17. Additionally this member extends forwardly to meet the curved leading inclined surface 18 and is so formed as to present a smooth and interference free surface over and across which the filling yarn is guided during its reception by this carrier and while being extended through the remainder of the shed to complete the picking action.

The inserter or inserting carrier to which the instant invention is applicable is formed substantially the same as the inserting carrier disclosed in United States Patent No. 70 2,586,638 and it is considered sufiicient to illustrate only that portion of the carrier to which the invention pertains.

It includes the conventional box-like structure generally 5 is a sectional View taken along line 5-5 of indicated by numeral 22 which comprises a top planar portion having a filling receiving notch 23 that cooperates with an offset filling receiving notch 24 in the lower portion of this structure.

The lower portion is also cut away to an extent defined by the parallel sides 25 thus providing a recess or cut-out portion for entry of the cooperating portion of the carrier shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Sides 26 and 27 of the boxlike structure are provided with inwardly directed holes 28 and 29 drilled on a substantial angle in relationship to said sides and are adapted to receive wear resistant insert pins 31} and 31 therein. These holes are drilled at such an angle and the pins are thus disposed at an angle so that as the filling runs over the pins there is little tendency for it to move toward the ends of the pins or sides of the notches. For example, in one successful installation the pin 30 is set at an angle within the range of about to and preferably at an angle of 44 to the length of the carrier and pin 31 is set at an angle Within the range of 58 to 68 and preferably at 63 also to the length of the carrier. Of course, for diiferent conditions these angles are appropriately varied.

While the filling is pretty much neutralized to run centrally in the notches, the pins may, as shown, be circumferentially grooved as at 32 and 33 thereby further confining the filling to run centrally in the notches.

In operation, the filling yarn is projected into the shed and extended therethrough in a manner well known to those familiar with the art; however, the period of time these thread carrying members are capable of satisfactorily performing their intended functions can now be increased to a great extent by means of the instant invention, depending, of course, on the type of filling required for a particular type of Weave. iWhile soft and low twist yarns have little or no effect on the filling carriers, hard and high twist yarns as well as certain synthetic yarns have proven to have very abrasive qualities that cause such yarns to wear grooves into those areas of the carriers through and across which said filling yarn travels.

Excessive wearing of this nature renders the carriers unsatisfactory for their intended purpose and the expense of removing and replacing them is then required.

The wear resistant insert members herein described are manufactured from materials of far greater hardness than the carriers themselves. Many such materials which possess wear resistant qualities can be utilized such, for example, as AlSiMag, Heanium, chromalloy steel or nitrided steel.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling inserting carrier having an upper and a lower filling receiving notch including wear resistant pins inserted in the throat portion of said notches, said pin in said upper notch being disposed at an angle within a range of 40 to 50 in relationship to the centerline axis of said carrier and said lower notch being disposed at an angle Within a range of 58 to 68 in relationship to said centerline axis, said pins being so disposed as to centrally guide said filling as it travels thereaeross.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said pins are provided with circumferential grooves on those portions forming the throats of said notches for further confining said filling to travel centrally over and across said pins.

3. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by Warp threads, a filling carrier having substantially parallel upper and lower portions, an upper angularly directed notch in said upper portion extending rearwardly from the leading edge thereof, a further lower notch in said lower portion extending generaily lengthwise of said carrier, a wear resistant pin extendingacross the throat of the upper notch and a further wear resistant pin extending across the throat of said lower notch, said pins being 'angularly disposed to each other.

4. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling inserting carrier having a substantially rectangular cross sectional configuration, wear resistant insert pins, a top planar portion and an opposed lower portion, said top planar portion including at its leading edge a first rearwardly extending and angularly directed thread groove, the throat of said thread groove being further directed laterally with respect to the main portion of said groove, said opposed lower portion including at its leading edge a second rearwardly directed thread groove extending longitudinally of said carrier, said wear resistant insert pins extending across the throat portions of said first and second thread grooves and being angularly disposed with relationship to each other for keeping said filling generally centralized in said throat portion while being extended thereacross.

5. For a loom having reciprocable carriers by which filling from an outside source of supply is inserted within sheds formed by warp threads, a filling extending carrier which includes a hooked member and trapping guard, said hooked member having an external forward surface inclined at a substantial angle to the vertical, said trapping guard having an end portion in spring contact with said inclined surface, a wear resistant insert member forming the major part of said inclined surface and so disposed as to overlie the throat portion of said hooked member across which said filling is caused to travel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 449,336 Skinner et a1. Mar. 31, 1891 2,288,677 Blanchard et al July 7, 1942 2,336,937 Kaufmann Dec. 14, 1943 2,586,638 Flamand Feb. 19, 1952 

3. FOR A LOOM HAVING RECIPROCABLE CARRIERS BY WHICH FILLING FROM AN OUTSIDE SOURCE OF SUPPLY IS INSERTED WITHIN SHEDS FORMED BY WARP THREADS, A FILLING CARRIER HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS, AN UPPER ANGULARLY DIRECTED NOTCH IN SAID UPPER PORTION EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE LEADING EDGE THEREOF, A FURTHER LOWER NOTCH IN SAID LOWER PORTION EXTENDING GENERALLY LENGTHWISE OF SAID CARRIER, A WEAR RESISTANT PIN EXTENDING ACROSS THE THROAT OF THE UPPER NOTCH AND A FURTHER WEAR RESISTANT PIN EXTENDING ACROSS THE THROAT OF SAID LOWER NOTCH, SAID PINS BEING ANGULARLY DISPOSED TO EACH OTHER. 